Disconnecting switch



L. C. HART DISCONNECTING SWITCH Filed April 11, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR L. C. HART DISCONNECTING SWITCH Filed April 11 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 2 L. C. HART DISCONNECTING SWITCH Nov. 215

Filed April 11 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTOR v Patented Nov. 25,1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcn- LESTER c. HART, or CLEVELAND, OHIO,ASSIGNOB. TO HI-VOLTAGE nenirmnn'r com- PANY, A conronarron orPENNSYLVANIA.

DISCO'NNECTING SWITCH.

Application filed. April 11, 1924. Serial No. 705,829.

To all who-m it may 60'7'1687'91-5 Be it known that I, Lnsrnn C. ILXRT,a citizen of theUnited States, and a resident of Cleveland, in thecounty of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have made a new and usefulInvention in Improvements in aDisconnecting Switch, 01 which thefollowing is a specification. I

The invention relates to switches, and particularly to those employedinhigh volt age work for breaking circuits. The in- 'vention hasi'or itsprincipal objects; the provision of a switch of the inclined insula-torcolumn type having improved means for balancing the swinging columnwithout the use of springs or counterweights for securing the desiredbalance, thus simplifying. the structure and rendering it easy tooperate; the provision t an improved arrangement for the connection atthe end of the swinging switch arm whereby the requirement for slack inthe lead is avoided; and the provision of improved means for makingcontact between the switch blade and thereceiving lingers and formaintaining the blade at an angle such that in closing, the blade willbe properly guided into the sleet hood and have a relatively longsliding engagement with the contact fingers of the switch in such hood.One embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawingswherein:

l igure 1 is aside elevation of the switch. Fig. 2- is a front elevationwith the swinging arm in closed position. Fig. 3 is a view similar tothat of Fig. 2 with theswitch in OPBILPOSliDlOD. Fig.v a is an enlargeddctail,perspective .view showing the position of the parts at the end ofthe switch arm "when contact is first made. And Fig. 5 is a detail iewsimilar to that of Fig. 3'; after the switch is completely closed andwith the sleet hood removed. l L r V deterring to the drawings, 1. is asup porting framework for the switch carrying at its upper end thebracket 2, upon which is mounted the insulator column 3. Mounted forrotation in the lower part of the framework is a shalt 4, provided atone end with the crank arm 5, which carries at its tree end; theinsulator column .6. The axle i marries at its other end the crank arm'7, by means of which the axle is turned to operate the switch,thisbeing accomplished by means oi? suitable connecting rods, and the.erably carried by "towhich current is supplied from the lead the lead 9is attached, the point 10, oi

attachment, lying on the extended axis of rotation A of the crank 5, sothat there is .no lateral movement at this point when the switch arm isswung (Fig. 3), thus avoidingthe necessity for providing slack in theleach The axis A of rotation of the crank also preterably cuts thelongitudinal axis ot the insulator column 6 about midway between itsend, as indicated in 'Fig. 1, thus balancing the parts carried by thecrank.

with respect to the axis of rotation A. so that the ett'ort necessary toswing the switch arm, is, reduced to aminimum, and this is accomplishedwithout the use of counterweights or springs, which would be necessary,in order to secure the desired balance, it the crank 5 were not employedwith its axis of rotation located as above pointed out. Ease ofoperation, without complication, is thus secured.

Secured to the upper end of theswitch arm, is the contact blade 11,pivoted to the arm as indicated at12, and normally held yieldingly at anangleto the switch arm, as indicated in Figs. 3 and at. -Thisaccomplished by means of a plunger 13,

mounted in the casing ll, and normally held in retracted position by acompression spring 15, the plunger having its outer end pivotallyconnected to the blade by means of the fork 1G. The connection 17transmits current from the switch arm to the blade. I

Q Mounted on the bracket 18 at the upper end of the insulator column 3is the contact plate and projecting outwardly from the face of the plateare a plurality of pairs of opposing contact fingers 20 and 21, springmounted and adapted to engage the contact blade, when the switch armarrives at complete closed position, as in dicated in Fig. 5. Thesefingers are preta block or member 23. The block is secured to the plate19 by blade.

any suitable means, such as the screws 28, and isprovidedwith a pair oflugs 2%, by means of which the sleet hood 25 is secured in position. Thesides of the hood are provided' "with; perforations, through whichscrews or bolts 26 (Fig. 4), may and threaded into the perforations inthe lugs.

The sleet hood preferably has its lower end of the V-shaped indicated inFig. 4 so as to act as a guide for the blade 11, and also has a slot 27in line with the spaces between the contact lingers 20 and 21, in

order to permit the entrance of the blade into the hood. lVhen theswitch arm, is swung outward from the position of Fig. to that of Fig.at, the spring 15 swings the blade to the inclined position shown, butif, for any reason, the springshould not have suflicient power toaccomplish. this function, due for example, to an accumulation of sleetor moisture frozen in the joints, the guide slot 27, contacting with theedge'of the blade, as it is withdrawn, insures the desired swingingmovement of the The spring maintains the blade in angular position sothat in closing it will not strikethe top of the hood instead of theslot 27. The angular position is further desirable, as in the closingmovement the end of theblade first engages the plate 19, and then slidesbetween the fingers eliminating any arcing when the blade first contactswith the fingers, and giving a maximum sliding movement longitudinally-oi the blade,so-that a good contact is secured'and the contactingsurfaces cleaned and brightened.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In combination in a switch, apair of similarly-inclined insulatorcolumns, one of which'is fixed and has contact means at its outer end, acrank, to the free end of which,

the inner endof the other column is attached with the extended axis ofrotation of the crank cutting such other column intermediates itsends,and a switch arm secured "to-the outer end of such other column andprovided with contact means adapted to contact with the first mentionedcontact means.

2. In combination in a switclna pair of similarly inclinedinsulatorcolumns, one of which is fixed and has contact means at itsouter end, a crank, to the free end of which,

the inner end of the other column is attached .with the extended axis ofrotation ofthe crank cutting such other column substantially midwaybetween its ends, a switch arm secured to the outer end of such othercolumn and provided with contact means adapted to contact with the firstmentioned contact means.

In combination in a switch, a pair of similarly inclinedinsulatorcolumns, one of which is fixed and has contact means at its be passed,

'proaches the plate and outer end, a crank, to the free end ofwhich, theinner end of the other column is attached with the extended axis ofrotation of the crank cutting such other column intermediate itsends,'and' a switch arm secured to the outer end'ot' such other columnand having at its outer end contact means adapted to contact with thefirst mentioned contact means, and having at its other end an extensionto which a lead is attached with the point of attachment located insubstantial alignment with the axis of rotation of the crank.

a. [in combination in a switch, a pair of insulator columns,one abovethe other, extending upwardly and laterally at similar angles ofinclination to the vertical, the upper one of such columns being fixedat its lower end and having contact means at its upper end,a crank armhaving an axis of contact with the first mentioned contact means.

In combination in a switch, a pair of insulator columns, one above theother,extending upwardly and laterallyat similar angles of inclinationto the vertical, theupper one of such columns beingcfixed at its lowerend and having cont-act means at its upper end, 'acrank arm having anaxis of rotation lying in a horizontal plane intermediatethe ends of thelower column so that such column is substantially balanced with respectto said axis oi rotation and having its free end secured to the lowerend of such lower column, and a switch arm secured to the upper end ofthe lower column and provided with contact means adaptcdto contact withthe first mentioned contact means. 6. The combination with a contactplate having o nposing contact fingers upon such face at right anglesthereto, of a hood lying over such plate and having at one side, inalignment with the receiving space between -the finger, a guide slot, apivoted switch arm and providedwith contact. means adapted to mounted sothat its free end swings toward andirom said contact plate,a contactblade pivoted. to such free end of the switch arm and yieldingly held atan angle to. thearm and positioned so that its end contacts with 1 saidplate as t-he end of the switch arm apso that it is guided along theplate, through the guide slot and between the contact fingers bringingsuch blade into substantial alignment with the switch arm. a a

7. The combination with a' contact plate having opposing contact fingersupon such face at right angles thereto, of a hood lying over such plateand having at one side, in

aligmnent with the receiving space between the fingers, a guide slot, apivoted switch arm mounted so that its free end swings toward and fromsaid contact plate, a contact blade pivoted to such free end of theswitch arm and yielding-1y held at an angle to the arm and positioned sothat its end contacts with said plate as the end of the switch armapproaches the plate and so that it is guided along the plate throughthe guide slot and between, the contact fingers bringing such blade intosubstantial alignment with the switch arm, the said guide slot servingto insure, on the reverse movement of the switch arm, the swinging ofthe blade about its axis to bring it to an inclined position withrespect to the switch arm.

8. The combination with a contact plate having opposing contact fingersupon such face at right angles thereto, of a pivoted switch arm mountedso that its free end swings toward and from said contact plate, acontact blade pivoted to such free end of the switch arm and yieldinglyheld at an angle to the arm and positioned so that its end contacts withsaid plate as the end of the switch arm approaches the plate and so thatthe blade is forced between the contact fingers and straightened out asthe switch arm is brought to complete closed position, i

LESTER C. HART.

